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I have been recently corrected that this sentence

"The argument can only be zero."

should be changed to

"The argument must be zero."

This is in context of a computer programme presenting an error message to the user.

For me there is not much of a difference here, apart from the second one sounding stronger (is it true?). What is native speakers view on this, please?

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    Is this specifically in the context of mathematics?
    – John Feltz
    Commented Nov 23, 2016 at 16:30
  • 4
    '[C]an only be zero' seems to leave open the possibility that the argument is also not zero, but rather non-existent. (As in: all existing arguments but zero have been disqualified.) '[M]ust be zero' states that the argument exists and is zero.
    – Řídící
    Commented Nov 23, 2016 at 17:10
  • @Keep these mind makes a good distinction. Also, even if the first meaning (could be zero or could be non-existent) is intended, "can only be" would not be a very good choice of words to convey that meaning clearly because it is ambiguous and could also be read to be synonymous with "must", so in this context "can only be" is ambiguous and a poor usage which is not idiomatic. The second, sentence, in contrast has correct, idiomatic and clear.
    – ohwilleke
    Commented Nov 23, 2016 at 17:20
  • @Keepthesemind Good point, I didn't think of it.
    – youri
    Commented Nov 23, 2016 at 19:51

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We can expand each to a perceived interpretation. Although the two are interchangeable, the second sounds stricter, with "must" sounding stronger than "can ... be". I think this is less about harshness or politeness, and more about strictness in the restriction on the argument. In my opinion, the second is clearer.

The argument can only be zero.

The argument, should it be given, is only permitted to take the value of zero.

The argument must be zero.

There must be an argument given, and it must be zero and only zero.

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